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ISPs

I wanted to post something about it but thought a new thread was appropriate first ..

How do ISPs gain control of net access? I mean .. I'm sorry to some that this may sound naive to but Im not sure how ISPs, as private entities, earn control over public domain that we can't attain as individuals. Are they granted control by governments? Surely not anybody with a server can start an ISP.

I believe that, like democracy, the internet should not be centralized and representative but free, direct and controlled at the fringes. Im familiar how the flow of info works I just can't concieve where the control comes from.

"In most gardens they make the beds too soft - so that the flowers are always asleep" - Tiger Lily

How do ISPs gain control of net access? I mean .. I'm sorry to some that this may sound naive to but Im not sure how ISPs, as private entities, earn control over public domain that we can't attain as individuals.

They do it the old fashion way. At least they used to. You buy bandwidth and resell it. A decade ago that meant buying some fat pipes and offering dialup.
Here in central NJ there were dozens of local ISPs servicing consumers. These were mom and pops that flourished and then the market started to consolidate. Larger ISPs bought out the mom and pops and eventually companies like AOL and Earthlink bought out the local large ISPs.

At the same time the dialup market was consolidating, the cable companies where laying fiber. Once operational, these cable companies competed on price and speed driving most of the dialups out.

Nothin stopping you from buying some pipes and offering service. Heck, you could even run last mile pipes if you wanted to. Or perhaps offer local broadband wireless. There is no regulation preventing you from doing this. You would simply need to compete (and have deep pockets).